Recapped: 12/02/2016
What happened: Último Guerrero cheated to defeat Carístico in the main event, and they teased a mask/hair match. Both teams cheated a little bit in the women’s match, and they set up a rematch next week. Máximo cheated to defeat Mascara Año 2000 (for no good reason, he’d gotten in his finishing kiss) too. Nothing in particular was set up there, maybe because they were already doing two mic segments.
All these feuds coming up at once suggest there’s a big show coming. It’s possible they could hold them all off until the holidays, but it also wouldn’t be a surprise if they did some of this sooner. Último Guerrero is often back home around Christmas week, so that may be one getting done a little quicker.
Principe Diamante also re-debuted as a member of the main roster. He’d been around before as a mini, and still looks like a tall mini, but a tall mini who won the Mr. CMLL contest. There’s always suspicions the bodybuilding contest may be as predetermined as everything else. Suddenly getting booked regularly (when CMLL seems to be scheduling shows weeks in advance) seems a sign of some plan, but losing in his debut suggests there’s not one.
What was good: One of the matches without an angle! I really loved the Casas/Angel de Oro match for a nine minute showcase. The second match was good as well.
Where can I watch it: I’ll have it up later. After drama earlier, there was no particular geoblocking problem on Claro. I’m not really sure that we fixed it. It could’ve just been the social media person being wrong because they have been before. It worked, that’s all that really matters.
Match 1: Oro Jr. & Príncipe Diamante vs Cancerbero & Raziel
Arena México, 12/02/2016
- rudos
- Super Raziel Driver on Oro Jr. (6:22)
- Cancerbero crucifix powerbomb Principe Diamante (6:46)
- técnicos
- Oro Jr. moonsault Raziel (1:57)
- Principe Diamante half crab Cancerbero (2:08)
- rudos
- Raziel nudo Principe Diamante (4:20)
- Cancerbero motocicleta Oro Jr. (5:36)
Winner: rudos (1/3)
Match Time: 14:30
Review: [ok] Better than usual opener at the least. Cancerbero & Raziel bullied Diamante around early, as expected, but Diamante at least got to show off. The run up the ropes springboard was his best spot. That seems like it’s been avoided by everyone ever since Mistico kept having trouble with it, so it’s nice to see it back. The modified skin the cat felt like a more forced way to show his strength, since it means Cancerbero had to just stand still. There were more good spots, but Diamante still looks very short for a main division luchador, and it’s probably going to limit how far he can go here. Losing in his return match is not a great sign (and generally dumb.)
Match 2: Blue Panther Jr., Drone, The Panther vs Disturbio, Okumura, Virus
Arena México, 12/02/2016
- rudos
- Blue Panther Jr. armscissors Okumura (5:20)
- Virus double armscissors The Panther (5:57)
- técnicos
- Blue Panther Jr. nudo lagunero Virus (3:45)
- técnicos
- Drone rope flip moonsault Disturbio (3:27)
- Okumura cutter Drone (4:11)
- The Panther double springboard dropkick Okumura (5:08)
Winner: técnicos (2/3)
Match Time: 14:50
Review: [good] this was good for a couple falls and kind of lost me a bit in the third fall, though it did finish well. Eh, Virus & Panther did the mat escape spot I liked in the first fall, that’s good enough. Drone and Disturbio had good interactions thru the match, though Drone lost some lift right before the finish. There was the unexpected finishes normal in a Panther match for a couple of falls, though Okumura pinning Drone is the most inexplicable finish at all. No dive because they had to save that for the women, I guess, but some good stuff with Virus and with Blue Panther Jr. picking his spots.
Match 3: Estrellita, Marcela, Sanely vs Metálica, Tiffany, Zeuxis
Arena México, 12/02/2016
- tecnicas
- Marcela tapatia Zeuxis (6:20)
- rudas
- Zeuxis double knee smash Estrellita (2:35)
- Metalica senton con giro Sanely (3:08)
- tecnicas
- Estrellita Star Gate Tiffany (3:31)
- Zeuxis dropkick Estrellita (3:58)
- Marcela Michinoku Driver Zeuxis (4:45)
Winner: tecnicas (1/3)
Match Time: 14:13
Notes: Tiffany helped Zeuxis before the finish, so Estrellita tripped up Zeuxis to set up Marcela’s win. This set up a rematch for next week.
Review: [ok] Not so great. Zeuxis was really good and Marclea & Metalica were all right, but there was nothing much to check out here. Zeuxis’ sell of a missed corner charge was better most things done by other people. (Sanely’s introduction to this match was mistiming a boost to send Estrellita to the apron.)I guess good they’re finally doing something here, except I don’t want to see any of these matchups.
Match 4: Ángel de Oro vs Negro Casas in a lightning match
Arena México, 12/02/2016
Winner: Negro Casas (scorpion)
Match Time: 9:13
Review: [great] Negro Casas is the best. Angel de Oro was pretty good (except for the superkicks that were way too low but oddly making the exactly same noise), but really Casas was totally on and this match was lots of fun. It’s easily one of the best lighting matches of the year, getting in a lot of different tenors to the match in the nine minutes they had. The chop and forearm battles were as fun as each guys trying to sneak the win. Casas’ win was an all time great moment. Poor Angel de Oro can do nothing but get owned by Negro Casas.
Match 5: Marco Corleone, Máximo Sexy, Volador Jr. vs El Cuatrero, Máscara Año 2000, Sansón
Arena México, 12/02/2016
- técnicos
- Marco Corleone Air Corleone Sansón & Cuatrero (4:21)
- técnicos
- Máximo kiss cradle with ropes Mascara Año 2000 (5:51)
Winner: técnicos (1/2)
Match Time: 10:12
Notes: Máximo totally had the ropes on the finish, though he usually doesn’t need them on his finish.
Review: [ok] a showcase match more for the técnicos, though the Dinamitas got most of the first fall. They did well with it; it wasn’t all the crazy double teams Sansón & Cuatrero could do, but they did enough to impressed and worth smoothly with Marco & Volador later on. They also did enough that Mascara wasn’t asked to do much. There were enough Mascara/Maximo interactions that’s something is still coming, but they didn’t make it it obvious after the match.
Match 6: Atlantis, Carístico, Valiente vs Euforia, Hechicero, Último Guerrero
Arena México, 12/02/2016
- rudos
- Euforia top rope splash Carístico (2:27)
- técnicos
- Atlantis casadora cradle Hechicero (1:48)
- Valiente half crab armbar Euforia (1:50)
- rudos
- Atlantida on Euforia (4:51)
- Último Guerrero reversed pin with help from Euforia (5:36)
Winner: rudos (1/3)
Match Time: 9:53
Notes: Carístico & Último Guerrero went back and forth after the result, with Carístico wanting a mask vs hair match right then, and UG unmasking him instead.
Review: [ok] Like the match before, it’s a main that was more successful at serving it’s purpose than for being interesting on it’s own. Both teams got in some of their usual spots, they all went fine, but it was backdrop to the Carístico/UG feud. Carístico really brought it in the promo after the match and did well in it itself. He’s getting the rivalry he wants and making the most of it. Hechicero fit in OK, but didn’t get to show much of what he could do on his own. Euforia getting the pin on Carístico, even in a first fall, is sort of weird.
